nfreeman
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Posts posted by nfreeman
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Just noticed that Edmonton, which won 50 games last year, is getting dusted at home by Nashville, who is 4-6. The Oilers are about to be 2-7-1.
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I think IR is something like a 3-game minimum — does anyone know the rule?
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11 minutes ago, Taro T said:
You sure about that? What big FAs / Trades did the 80's Eulers make to get that team rolling? Almost all that talent that was there when they joined the NHL was augmented by guys they drafted over the next 4 years.
Anderson, Kurri, Messier, Coffee, Fuhr - all added through the draft.
BTW, I recently did a re-watch of Season 1 of "Fargo" -- which is a solid A, for anyone who's interested -- and I love the fact that a fairly sleazy character has a personal security guy named "Semenko."
6 minutes ago, Taro T said:But those weren't "sudden" firings and those were very much due to incompetance. The exception taken to your post was the "sudden" part, implying they were made impulsively. Forgot LaFontaine, but am certain there was more to that departure than we've been made aware of.
Except for LaLa (which again, there's more to that story than we know about), ALL the firings were due to pure incompetence, were well warranted, and any other management was onboard with. Can't see Adams getting on board with punting Granato before the end of this season at the absolute earliest and likely after 1 more unsuccessful season (should those in fact happen).
I agree with most of this, but I think most of us were taken by surprise when the axe fell on GMTM and DDB. (YMMV, of course.) And in that regard, it's worth noting that KA has already had a longer tenure than GMTM had, and if DG lasts the entire season, he'll have been here longer than DDB was.
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3 minutes ago, Taro T said:
So which female intern are you having throw herself at Granato to make that happen? Except for the relieving of Botterill of his duties for refusing to can the majority of the hockey department staff, can't think of an other "sudden" firing that wasn't precipitated by a bit of hanky panky. (Didn't even the Racconia (sp?) departure have that same undertone?)
I don't think there was hanky-panky with GMTM and DDB -- just incompetence (and some rumored poor behavior on GMTM's part that didn't include any removal of pants IIRC).
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25 minutes ago, Thorny said:
I just can’t see it given the lengths and timing of all these contracts. I can’t imagine even Terry is dunce enough to allow his management and coaching team to map out and pre-pay that sort of deposit without an unnaturally long runway.
Others have opined that the amount of rope these guys have would make a lot of people uncomfortable and I’m starting to think it’s true. While shocking: the dark side of a rebuild that straps itself to the timeline of a singular 21 year old Star Wars fan is a pathway to many time frames some would consider to be…unnatural
I agree that TP has most likely decided that he trusts KA and that he's going to give KA plenty of time. However:
- It's quite possible that TP doesn't have the same level of confidence in DG.
- We've seen TP get PO'd and fire people suddenly.
I would be pretty surprised if TP were to fire KA during the season -- or even next summer for that matter. But could he get in KA's ear and pressure him to make a change at coach, especially if they keep pooping the bed at home for another 6 weeks or so and they are bottom-5 in the conference at Xmas? Would anyone be shocked if that were to happen?
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Serious question: what if they come out in a coma again, get smoked by the Leafs, the only cheering in the building is by Leafs fans and the boos rain down again from the Sabres fans? Does TP do something precipitous?
I don't think he will, but the likelihood is greater than zero.
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I hate to say it, because I like DM, but I am pretty close to concluding that the Sabres have an issue at coach. The consistent failure to show up at home is 100% between the ears. It’s the coach’s job to get them ready and focused, and it is clearly not happening.
If it’s still like this at New Year’s I think I am going to want to make a change.
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18 minutes ago, Pimlach said:
I don't see a Torts team coming out slow. Philly will be hitting and working hard. No doubt they looked at the film and saw some things about UPL and they have at least a few guys that can score.
I think we should bury them but we have to play a lot better than Wednesday.
Goat Heads, home, a chance for 3 in a row - they better be motivated.
One thing I really wanna see this season is a permanent end to their habit of, whenever there is a home game with a chance to build some excitement around the team and increase the chances of creating a home-ice advantage with a raucous crowd, coming out in a coma and pooping the bed for most of the game.
It hasn't happened yet. If they want to be a real team, it needs to start yesterday.
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It seems like Cozens started slowly, had a strong few games and then tailed off again.
I really like his game, his spirit and his upside, but he was totally ineffective the other night vs. Philly.
I'm pretty sure he'll work his way out of it.
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I really don't like Steely Dan.
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Sorry John. Hang in there. God bless you and your family.
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Sorry for the spam — just trying to help a friend who can’t make it.
PM me if interested.
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9 hours ago, dudacek said:
They've actually shifted things around a lot. The set-up Tage for the left boards 1-timer 4 times a PP hasn't really been been a thing.
We are seeing lots of Tage rotating to the right side, and Skinner up high that wasn't part of the mix before. They are also giving it to Skinner down low more often, and trying to work it to the bumper, though the guys playing the bumper (really, all 4 forwards have rotated in) haven't been particularly effective.
Also, Cozens is handling the puck a lot more than he used to.
They still aren't using the back door as much as they could, or getting to the net enough for screens, tips and rebounds. And the execution from some of the other guys hasn't been there enough to make it pay off.
But they've definitely been mixing things up.
I've noticed this as well. I think Cozens is pretty good at this and that it's had a positive impact. He's better at handling it and passing it than Skinner and VO are IMHO.
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I hate to say it, but Benson was pretty ineffective last night vs Ottawa. I'm starting to think they're gonna send him down to juniors once his 9 games are up.
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I thought that was either the best or 2nd best game they’ve played this year. If they keep bringing it like that they will make the playoffs and then some.
TT and Tuch look like they are finding their games. And Skinner was maybe the best player on the ice.
Team defense and the PK are greatly improved over last year although there are still frequent shaky moments. Toughness and physicality are also much better. The Sabres didn’t shrink at all when Ottawa gooned it up at the end. I loved the big retaliatory hit Tuch gave Tkachuk followed by the fight.
UPL was really good until the team pooped the bed at the end. Still an encouraging performance by him.
Greenway is a freaking horse and is rapidly becoming an important player on this team.
Samuelsson is turning into a true shutdown defenseman.
1 game under .500 with Colorado and NJ up next. Let’s see how they do against upper echelon opponents.
Go Sabres. Well done tonight.
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36 minutes ago, Pimlach said:
I have been harping on goaltending for too long to say this Rico. Playing hard should be a given. Goaltending has to be taken care of first.
I actually think that UPL will play about as good as Comrie tonight. Sometimes the boys play looser and score more goals with him in the net. Tonight would be a good night for it.
But they got decent goaltending last night and lost because they didn't play hard.
I agree it should be a given. But something is missing.
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JFC. Enough already. Both of the participants in this particular exchange are well past the age where they should know better.
Do better or keep quiet.
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7 minutes ago, #freejame said:
Does ESPN even carry basketball anymore? I’d imagine this was done purposely to go against TNT. Definitely a little strange though.
Absolutely.
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Kinda interesting IMHO that the NHL chose tonight, which is the NBA's opening night, for the "everyone plays" night.
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UPL is playing.
If he stinks and they lose, the pressure will increase on KA to make some kind of move. And rightly so.
I care much less about the goaltending than about whether they are going to play hard.
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8 hours ago, SwampD said:
You and @PerreaultForever are idiots.
I know you are supposed to criticize the post, not the poster, but c’mon!Dude.
Do you want people saying this to you after you once again blame the refs for another Bills loss in which they play terribly?
You can do better than this.
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11 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:
Switch to red and black all the time. This is the answer.
idk why, but when we wear them we play proper hockey and when we don't wear them we don't. It's actually kind of freaky weird but it's true.
Greenway was the only one who brought it the same as against the Islanders. A few isolated decent plays here and there but overall it was back to the same. One team went to the front and got a greasy goal, one team didn't. We simply have too much individual play and take too many easy unscreened shots from low danger areas. Tage is over thinking and telegraphing everything he does for example. Sabres just don't pay the price and do the little hard things you need to do to win.
If I'm Granato I'm putting that David Savard PK moment on a loop and making them watch it for an hour or two. That is how it's done. That sort of thing is infectious and becomes a standard.
The bottom end of this roster is garbage and VO is an absolute disaster in his own end, but we already knew that.
It's once again, the same.
Which is exactly what happens when you build a team backwards and teach offense first.
I don't agree with some of this post but the bolded is spot on. DG himself said after the game that they didn't take it to the net with conviction or determination. That was the difference in the game last night, and a big step down from their effort vs the Islanders.
If they want to be a real team, they need to bring it like they did vs the Islanders.
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5 minutes ago, OverPowerYou said:
It’s weird my optimism for the Sabres is going up and the Bills is going down
That's not weird at all, for anyone with functioning eyesight. The Bills have looked terrible for 3 games in a row and have lost the guts of their defense.
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Here's what I really want to see:
- Focus and determination from the opening puck drop. It's time to retire the habit of coming out at home in a coma.
- Driving hard to the net as they did vs the Islanders
- Continued focus on defensive play and physical play in the D-zone, as rightfully demanded by Erik "Godfather" Johnson.
- Another strong showing by Comrie.
- Another strong showing from the JJP-Krebs-VO line.
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Trade candidate : Johnny Gaudreau
in The Aud Club
Posted
Does he have any history with DG or KA?